Suspension means for swing signs



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SUSPENSION MEANS FOR SWING SIGNS Filed July 51, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Liz/iv??? Y Feb. H, 1936. F. A. LIPPOLD SUSPENSION MEANS FOR SWING SIGNS Filed July 31, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o i n e v n I.

,Fredefzak jl- Lab 002d Patented Feb. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE liance Advertising 00., Chicago,

ration of Delaware 111., a corpo- Application July 31, 1935, Serial No. 33,998

1 Claim.

This invention relates to advertising signs which are hung from a horizontal support and are free to respond to wind pressure by swinging around a horizontal axis.

The objects of the invention are to improve the hanger means in the matter of strength and to include therewith a resilient resistance to swinging and a positive stop to limit the angular motion of the sign and prevent contact thereof with illumination devices which extend outwardly from the sides of the horizontal supporting arms.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by means of constructions as illustrated in the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a. fragmentary face view of a sign and its supporting structure.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional detail showing one of the hangers and a sign suspended therefrom.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the construction shown in section by Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of stop and swivel bearing plates which are part of the hanger.

Fig. 5 shows in perspective additional swivel bearing plates for receiving a bolt from which the sign is suspended.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the hanger clamps.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side view of a modified form of the hanger.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view as indicated by the line 88 on Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a detail of an improved eye-bolt and cooperative bearing plate which is employed in the construction illustrated by Figs. 7 and 8..

A construction of the class to which this invention relates consists generally of a vertical pole having a. laterally extending arm from which the sign is suspended. The customary suspension means for the sign consists of eye-bolts passing through the arm with links connecting the eye bolts to the sign frame.

There are objections to such an arrangement which become particularly evident in high winds, sometimes of sufiicient strength to cause the signs to swing against lighting equipment, resulting in breakage. The new arrangements of suspension means provide more durable constructions and also resiliently restrain swinging motions of the signs and prevent contact thereof with the lighting means.

The construction illustrated by Sheet 1 of the drawings includes the old arrangement of vertical pole I, carrying the horizontal arm 2 from which the sign frame 3 is suspended. The pole l and arm 2 serve as conduits for electrical conductors leading to lateral extensions 4 from arm 2 which extensions carry sign lighting equipment, including reflectors 5.

The new construction relates to the hangers which are detailed in the drawings. The hangers include a pair of clamp plates 6, one of which is shown by Fig. 6, and which embrace the arm 2 and are clamped thereto by means of bolts 1 which serve to draw the clamp elements together. Each clamp member has welded thereto at one end one of the suspension plates 8 and 9, and at the opposite edge one of the suspension and stop plates l0 and H. These plates are welded either 15 at the edge or on the curved surface of one of. the clamp members to form a substantially integral part thereof. To further strengthen the structure the plate In is riveted to the plate II by rivet l2, and the plate 8 is riveted to the plate 20 9 by rivet I3. Thus when the clamps are applied to the horizontal arms 2 the perforations [4 in the plates 8, 9, l0 and l I come into alignment for receiving bolt l5 passing through a bearing in the upper end of sign frame It.

Surrounding the bolt between the pairs of hanger plates is a bushing I1, and placed over the bushing is a coil spring l8 having its ends respectively inserted in a perforation I9 of the sign frame, and in a perforation 20 in plate 8. 30

The plates l0 and II have inclined stop shoulders 2| and 22 for cooperating with the inclined shoulders 23 and 24 on the sign frame.

According to the above detailed description each sign hanger consists in the clamp members 5 6 which embrace the horizontal support 2 and have welded thereon the depending members 8, 9, l0 and II, which form the bearing for bolt I5 from which the sign is suspended and is free to swing thereon as resisted by spring I8. 40

In the operation of this form of construction if the sign swings under wind pressure it encounters the progressively increasing resistance of spring l8 as the sign moves away from its normal vertical position. The extreme limit of 45 movement of the sign is as indicated by the broken lines in Fig. 2, when one of the shoulders 23 or 24 thereof engages the inclined stop 2| or 22 on one of the members I or H.

The form of construction shown in Figs. 7, 8,

and 9 operates the same as that illustrated by Sheet 1 of the drawings, spring 25 in this form being the equivalent of spring l8, Fig. 3.

One end of spring 25 is passed through the aperture 26 in the head of eye-bolt 21.

The

opposite end of the spring is inserted in an aperture 28 in a bracket member 29 secured to the sign frame 30 by rivets 3|.

The head of the eye-bolt is formed with stop shoulders 32 which serve to limit the swinging motion of the sign when shoulders 33 on the latter engage the shoulders 32. The shoulders 33 are formed on plates 34 which are welded to the vertical portion 35 of the sign frame and to the bracket 29.

The curved surfaces 36 on the head of the eye-bolt are welded to the tubular arm 31 forming the horizontal support from which the sign is suspended. v

The arcuate surface 38 on the head of the eye-bolt serves as an additional bearing for the sign as it is engaged by the concave surface 39 of plate 34.

The sign swings on bolt 40 which passes through an aperture 4| in an ear 42 at the upper end of frame element 35. The bolt also passes through a similar aperture 43 in the upper end of bracket 29 and through the aperture 44 in the eye-bolt. Spring 25 is spaced from the shank of bolt 40 by a bushing 45. The arm 31 is drilled out at 46 to receive the eye-bolt which is clamped in place by the nut 41.

This type of construction is intended to take the place of old arrangements of eye-bolt and link suspension means for signs and the new form of eye-bolt 21 is intended to fit the same apertures 46. This form of eye-bolt which has its 5 head welded to the horizontal support 31 has the advantage of reinforcing the bolts against shear. The operation of the modified form of the construction is as indicated in Fig. 8 which shows by dotted lines the extreme motion of the 10 sign around the axis of bolt 40 as limited by v shoulder 33 on the sign frame engaging shoulder 32.

I claim:

In aconstruction of the class described, a hor- 15 izontal support, a sign frame, a suspending means for the sign frame, said suspending means comprising a rigid attachment to the support and including a bearing for the sign frame and stops for limiting motion of the sign frame around 20 said bearing, said sign frame having shoulders for-engagement with said step elements, a pivot passing through said sign frame and suspension means, and a coil spring surrounding said pivot and having its ends respectively in engagement 25 with the suspension means and the sign frame.

FREDERICK A. LIPPOLD. 

